1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to baby blankets, and, more particularly, to a vibrating baby blanket.
2. Description of the Related Art
Children are a blessed addition to a family. As every parent knows, infants require considerable love and attention to ensure that the child grows up normally and flourishes. The sensation of touch is particularly important for children to experience constantly. The sensation of touch lets the child know that he or she is cared for, safe and loved. Babies, especially newborns, frequently require that they be patted or stroked to assist them to relax and fall asleep. Softly patting the child on the back seems to be particularly effective in accomplishing this. Patting the child on the back with slightly more force is also performed to `burp` the child, assisting the infant in releasing air from the stomach that was swallowed during feeding.
Such patting is also helpful in treating babies with colic. Colic, although difficult to define, is an unexplained irritability, fussing, crying and often sustained screaming.
Providing this constant patting is sometimes difficult for busy parents. Their hands frequently fatigue from patting the child, especially while holding the child. Also, when the child is in its crib, it is difficult to pat the child without removing him or her from the crib.
The previous art includes several devices designed to relax a child with a vibrating motion. In general, these devices include a motor, a vibrating mechanism, and a rod portion that vibrates, and are self-standing units that attach to a mattress or underside of a baby crib. Examples of this type of device include U.S. Pat. No. 4,951,331, issued in the name of Pereira, U.S. Pat. No. 4,681,096, issued in the name of Cuervo, U.S. Pat. No. 3,799,154, issued in the name of Knop, and U.S. Pat. No. 3,552,388, issued in the name of Zelenka.
There are several problems with this type of device. First, the devices are bulky, and therefore, not portable. Second, the devices can only be used in a crib. Third, the devices are heavy, and as such, cannot be placed on the child. Fourth, the devices vibrate the entire crib, thus making it impossible to simulate the patting motion of a loving care-giver. Fifth, the devices are loud, thus disturbing the child's sleep patterns.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,694,839, issued in the name of Timme, discloses a sleep apnea monitoring system with electrodes which provide a localized vibration to wake the child up if it is not breathing. This device obviously does not serve the function of relaxing the child and helping it to fall asleep.
Other devices, such as that disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,582,582, issued in the name of Chapman, are complete body massage machines which rest over a grown person's entire body, with legs elevating the device above the ground or table being used. Such a device is unsuitable for use with a child for several reasons. It is bulky, noisy, expensive, dangerously heavy, not portable, and does not provide localized vibration to simulate patting.
Other devices attempt to simulate a patting motion on a person's back. U.S. Pat. No. 4,608,967, issued in the name of Piro, discloses a mechanical patting apparatus which rests on an adult's shoulder. The device is designed to be used by the person being patted, and as such, its function is inapplicable to the application of the present invention. Furthermore, the device requires the operator to move a handle to actuate the patting mechanism, and as such, does not provide relief for hand fatigue caused by patting another.
A search of the prior art did not disclose any patents that read directly on the claims of the instant invention. Consequently, a need has been felt for providing an apparatus and method which overcomes the problems cited above.